Roses are Red
by littlebluelight
Summary: Jinx is feeling blue, but a certain Kid Flash knows just what to do...takes place after lightspeed. chapter 7 up! R&R!
1. Chapter 1

On the corner of a desolate looking street, the air was bitterly cold. The road glistened in small patches thickly coated with ice and the wind propelled flurries of snow. Of course, most people were at home, safe and snug beneath warm blankets and unconcerned with the weather.

However, Jinx was unlike most people.

She walked quickly down the street, her head tucked downward and her thin arms crossed tightly around her shivering figure in a futile attempt to stay warm. "Just my luck." She murmured under her breath with a mirthless laugh. Of course it had been pleasant and warm only a few days ago, then a sudden cold front had swept across Jump City. She quickly headed towards a deserted alleyway, sighing in momentary relief as she slumped against a thick wall that blocked most of the wind. Despite being cold and hungry, she was completely exhausted and soon drifted off to sleep…

At the same moment a boy quickly zipped by the outskirts of town. He hated the way the cold felt at first- it always caused his muscles to feel stiff and tense- but it was a welcome relief after he heated up naturally from running. In fact, sprinting through the silent streets, the cold air cooling his skin that would normally be slick with perspiration, he felt wonderful. He threw in a sudden burst of speed as he remembered that his shift was almost complete and he could soon return to his apartment.

The whole set up was temporary of course- just until the titans returned to Jump City- but in return for keeping an eye on things they had made some arrangements with a nearby housing complex.

It had been a slow night- car crash, a few robberies- but he still felt relief that he would soon be home, fast asleep in a comfortable bed. So what if the apartment was small and slightly cramped? It had everything he needed, a bedroom and bathroom, a small living room, and a kitchen. Best of all, it was his first time living alone- for all he cared living in a closet would be worth the wonderful feeling of freedom that he had been able to experience in Jump City.

As he mulled over these thoughts, he was distracted by something out of the ordinary- a shock of all too familiar bright pink hair.

His breath caught quickly in his throat as he took in the sight- small crystals of ice had frozen on her lashes and her thickly lidded eyes were shut tight. She was curled up against the brick wall, a faded pink backpack clutched tightly to her chest. Her grey skin was unusually pale and her cheeks flushed with two bright spots of pink. Scooping her up in one swift motion, careful not to wake the sleeping figure, he was soon gone in a blur of yellow and red.

Feeling the warm tingle of sunlight on her face, Jinx opened her eyes slowly and stretched her arms luxuriously over her head. She was so warm and comfortable, it was very tempting to roll over onto the soft pillow and just go back to sleep…

Then she remembered.

She hadn't brought a pillow, or sheets, much less an entire bed, and sunlight had no place in a dark alleyway. She sat up, her back stiff as a board, and gasped. The room was small, covered in a light tan and gold striped paper, while sunlight streamed into the room from a large window that opened to a balcony. The room was sparsely furnished- just a small desk with a flashing digital clock and a wicker chair that held her boots and backpack. The door was creaked open just slightly, and she could hear the soft crackle of a police radio.

_What the hell…_

She ripped back the covers and ventured boldly towards the door.

_It's not like I can't take on whoever's out there. _

Wincing as the door opened with a loud creak, she tiptoed down the open hallway. Nervously peering around the corner, she felt her fingers crackle with dark energy as she spotted a certain red and yellow spandex clad someone, who was turned around and pouring a steaming cup of coffee.

"_You_!" Jinx shrieked, stomping over to the boy and pointing a long finger accusingly into his chest. "You've got some explaining to do- like what the hell am I doing _here_? What are _you_ doing here? What is this place an- WHY ARE YOU SMIRKING?!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down first!" he said holding up his hands defensively.

clink

They both spun around at the noise, as two pop tarts came out of the toaster.

Jinx clutched her stomach as it grumbled loudly.

Kid Flash just smiled and laughed. "Maybe we can talk after you've had something to eat?"

Jinx blushed. "Fine." She snapped, grabbing one of the thickly frosted pastries from the toaster and quickly sitting down on the counter.

Taking a bite and letting the warm crumbly crust melt on her tongue, she attacked the rest of the pastry, remembering that she hadn't eaten in the last few days. _Mmm…Brown sugar- definitely better than that damn strawberry flavor…_

Noticing that Kid Flash was looking at her with slightly astonished wide blue eyes, she stopped to mumble "M-what?" through a mouthful of pastry. He just flashed another charming grin and laughed, grabbing the other pop tart and sitting down next to her, still laughing softly as he said, "Nothing, it's just…well..._wow_. I mean…and I thought that _I_ ate fast!"

Jinx sent him one of her glares and punched him in the arm, smirking contentedly as he let out a loud "Ow!" and rubbed his shoulder.

Swinging her legs as they dangled off the edge of the countertop, Jinx took another bite, thoughtfully contemplating her situation.

"So…I guess this place is yours?" she questioned slowly, waiting for him to swallow before providing an answer.

"Yep!" he said cheerfully. "Well, it's not really mine, it's kinda on loan for as long as I stay in Jump City, but yeah, for now its home sweet home."

There was another pause before he softly asked, "I bet you're wondering what you're doing here…right?"

Jinx slowly nodded.

"Well," he continued, "I'm guessing that you've left the Hive Five?"

She gave another nod.

He smiled before speaking again, "I was almost done with my rounds when I found you half-frozen and sleeping in an alleyway, and…well-God! What were you thinking? You could've frozen to death! So I um…er...carried you back here so you could have a place to stay…" he blushed as he said the last part. Jinx narrowed her eyes, torn between hexing him and hugging him, finally settling instead on a simple "thanks."

He glanced up, obviously relieved at her reaction, and took a triumphant gulp of coffee.

Jinx shoved the last piece of the pop tart into her mouth, daintily licked her lips, and then gracefully leapt off of the countertop.

"So…" she drawled, "You wouldn't happen to have a shower we can share, right?"

Hearing Kid Flash splutter as he choked on a mouthful of coffee, Jinx laughed and walked down the hallway.

_This,_

She thought with an impish grin,

_Is going to be fun._


	2. Chapter 2

"So cutie, where to?" Kid Flash asked with one of his signature grins, one corner of his lips tilted up mischievously.

Jinx shot him a nasty glare.

They had ventured outside, trying to decide where they should go to pick up some dinner. After rejecting several suggestions, they had resorted to walking around downtown Jump City. Jinx hoped that someplace would catch her eye amongst the flashing neon signs and the hustle and bustle of traffic.

Plus, she could tell that Kid Flash was going insane. He hated walking, dawdling, shuffling, and pretty much any other form of transportation that didn't get him from point A to point B in as short a time as possible. Jinx slyly glanced over at him from time to time, watching him squirm and fidget every so often.

"How about that?" He asked, pointing a finger at a small restaurant sandwiched between two much larger buildings. If it wasn't for the bright red, white, and green sign hanging above the door, she would've never guessed that it was a restaurant. It looked more like a house with white washed walls and cheery red geraniums on each window sill. She looked it over appraisingly, catching a whiff of fresh baked garlic bread.

"I've been here a couple times before- it's pretty good. They cook up one mean plate of chicken carbonara…" He quipped.

Jinx smiled in approval. "_Zio's- best Italian food in all of Jump City_? Well with a promise like that, I guess it can't hurt to try…"

Being a Tuesday night, they were seated almost instantly. The ceiling was painted black and draped with chains of tiny white Christmas tree lights that sparkled brightly. There was a mix of small tables and worn red leather booths. The place had obviously been around for a fairly long time, but instead of coming across as dumpy, it seemed instead to be cozy and worn-in like a good pair of boots. The entire atmosphere was warm and homey. She even gasped with delight when she spotted a small patio in the back, where a stone fountain gurgled quietly amidst a garden of rose bushes.

"Pretty cool place huh?" Kid flash said with a laugh. "But this," he pointed to the menu, "Isn't that bad either."

She scanned through the menu, relieved to see that the prices were relatively affordable.

"Well, now! What an honor!"

They both spun around to spot a beaming waiter, with an olive complexion and slightly sunken eyes.

"Anthony!" Kid Flash exclaimed. "How's it been man? Still saving up for that car?"

Jinx noticed that the waiter had very thin lips and the traces of a five o'clock shadow as he smiled, responding with a surprising amount of enthusiasm for his tired looking demeanor.

"Kid it's great to see you again- yeah, I've almost got enough saved up, still paying off some college loans though…Who's your girl?" Jinx blushed as he pointed to her.

Kid Flash grinned again.

_Does that boy ever stop smiling?_ She thought to herself.

"She's a friend of mine…Jinx, this is Anthony. Anthony, Jinx."

The waiter gave another thin lipped smile.

"Pleasure to meet you, ah…Jinx is it? What a wonderful name…Okay, well then what can I get for you two?"

Jinx wasn't quite sure what to get, and settled on ordering the spaghetti, and kid flash ordered the same.

"First name basis? I'm guessing you come here a lot?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nah- not really. Well, I come here a decent amount I guess- Need plenty of carbs for running!" He replied.

They talked for a while, as he explained that his real base was near Steel City, but he had grown up in the Midwest. She had been born near Quebec, her parents were both French-Canadian but she grew up mainly in New York with her aunt. A little furrow appeared across her forehead as he asked why, and she softly explained that her parents had been in a car crash- air bags never went off, truck struck the front end- just bad luck.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, looking at her with a bit of sadness expressed in those big blue eyes.

_How does he do that?_ She thought to herself. _How can he seem to pour so much emotion into one glance?_

"It's okay…I got used to it a long time ago." She replied, changing the subject to his recent crime fighting exploits.

When the food arrived, they both dug in, and Jinx stopped for a second to watch him.

"Wha-?" he said noticing her funny look.

She blushed again.

_God what is with all the blushing?_

"Kid…" she said pointedly, "What are you doing?"

"Umm…eating?" He ventured with a confused expression.

"No, I mean, don't you know how to eat spaghetti? You don't just slurp it up, you hafta kind of twirl it around-" she demonstrated, spinning her fork and taking a bite. "-like that."

"Sorry, but I was practically raised by my uncle, and he wasn't really a stickler for table etiquette...He said, attempting to mimic her previous motions and failing miserably.

She gave a frustrated sigh.

"No, no, no…you're doing it all wrong!" Jinx said a bit more sharply than she had meant to.

She grabbed his hand, feeling a warm tingle, (_what was __**that**_) and said a bit more softly, "You have to move it like this, just one continuous motion…" She guided his hand, twirling the pasta neatly around the fork, then stuck it in his mouth.

She smirked as he gave her a slightly shocked glance, then his expression changed and he started laughing again.

"I don't think I quite caught that…can you show me again?" He said with a mischievous looking grin.

She scowled, but couldn't hold her straight face for long when she saw the glint in his eyes.

The other diners glanced over momentarily as the two both burst out laughing.

After a while he proclaimed, "Let's go home," dropping a couple crinkled bills on the table. He switched momentarily to super speed, so she almost didn't catch sight of him as he quickly snuck a couple extra bills into Anthony's apron, which was sitting on a peg by the door.

"Do you want to go the long way, or the short way?" he asked.

She frowned.

"Short way of course…"

She shrieked as he picked her up and ran, the colors of the city blurring together, each light quickly becoming a pinprick in the distance as he finally stopped in front of the apartment door and set her down, grabbing her elbow as she nearly fell over.

"Wh-what was _that_?" she said, still feeling a little dizzy as the lights overhead seemed to be spinning.

He laughed.

"That, was a shortc-"

He was cut off as she lost her balance and they both toppled over.

When he looked up she was laying on top of him, and a blush slowly spread across his cheeks to the tips of his ears. Rolling out quickly from beneath her, she fell onto the carpet with an "oompf".

_Reeeal__ smooth__ move there Kid…_ he thought to himself.

Extending a hand to pull her up, he apologized, brushing some dust off of her shoulders.

They both stood still for a moment, just looking at each other's eyes. Jinx tilter her chin up slightly, narrowing the gap between their faces so that they were nearly touching, then turned and whispered in his ear "_Have some issues with__ a girl__ being__ on top_?"

There it was. She was happy to note that he was blushing again, and had just turned to open the door, when he grabbed her elbow and spun her around so they were facing each other. She was frozen, her head screaming at her to move, but her feet seemed to have suddenly grown a mind of their own and refused to move.

He kissed her, moving a hand to her hip and relaxing the hold on her arm. He stopped after only a few seconds though, noticing that she wasn't reacting.

_What was that? Come on Jinx why __aren't you__ moving- kiss him back, do something!_ She chided herself.

He looked down, obviously embarrassed, and muttered under his breath, "Sorry, I shouldn't ha-mmmpfh!" His eyes widened as she cut him off, planting a kiss on his lips. He relaxed almost instantly and started to kiss her back, feeling her run her hands gently through his hair as he held onto her waist. Then they stopped, Jinx's eyes widened slightly and a shocked expression crossed her face. She grabbed the handle, running into the apartment and slamming the door to his room.

He stayed in the hallway for a moment, still slightly dazed, as he watched her retreating figure.

Inside the room, Jinx flopped onto the bed, burying her face in a pillow.

_This is__ so__ not happening__…_

Thank you so very much for the reviews of the last chapter! 3

I've got part of the next chapter written already, so hopefully I'll have it loaded up here soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Kid Flash leaned up against the kitchen countertop and ran his fingers through his mop of messy orange hair, still confused as he mulled over the events of the previous night. Replaying each moment in his mind, he recalled each memory with a surprising amount of clarity, feeling a warm tingle running down his spine.

It definitely wasn't the first time he had kissed a girl. In fact, his uncle had often given him lecture on the subject, warning him that one day his flirting would get him in trouble.

Kid Flash sighed.

At the time he'd known his uncle was right, even though he would never admit it. A pretty face had always been his biggest weakness- _after all_ he thought angrily _I may be a superhero, but I'm also a teenage guy._

The truth was he had gotten better at turning off the charm and controlling his emotions. The usual girls that saw him on the street, gushing with admiration, had lately seemed, well, _boring_.

He would go through the motions- save the damsel in distress, strike a pose, flash a charming smile that would make most girls melt into a puddle of goo- but it just didn't hold the same appeal after he met Jinx.

She seemed so spunky and ambitious, someone who didn't need or _want_ to be saved.

He knew that she didn't belong with the hive five. Unlike those greedy brain dead idiots, she was searching for something more.

_Acknowledgement._

_Respect._

_Love?_

And she was trying to gain these intangible desires in the only way she knew how.

Despite her initial stubbornness, he had managed to convert her. Convinced her that she really was capable of so much more.

Then of course he had blown his shot with that stupid kiss.

He knew he should've waited, taken time to at least get to know each other better, but patience had never been one of his strong points.

He looked up quickly as he heard a door creak open, seeing Jinx wander out into the room, wearing the same outfit form the night before.

"Good Morning!" she greeted him with a strangely cheery smile, then slumped onto the couch, propping her feet on the coffee table. Upon spotting the remote, she proceeded to turn on the TV and flip through the various channels.

At first he was too shocked to move.

_Who is this girl and what did she do with Jinx?_

He nervously cleared his throat.

"Jinx, um I think that we need to talk…"

She didn't acknowledge him, focusing her gaze on the TV screen.

"…about what happened last night." He finished.

She turned around, glaring at him stonily then hissed, "_Nothing. Happened. Last. Night._ Got it?" and swiveled back around.

Knowing that he was practically signing a death warrant, he walked over to the TV and turned it off, then sat down in front of her on the coffee table.

"Okay, I'm sorry but you can't just pretend that nothing happened. I mean we-"

She cut him off sharply. "Yes I _can_, and I _will_."

He buried his face in his hands to stifle a frustrated groan.

_Why does she have to be so stubborn?_

"Look, this whole thing is just…well _ridiculous_- we've known each other for less than a week, only a few days ago we were enemies…I don't even know your_ name_!" She shouted, her cheeks flushed bright pink.

She stood up from the couch, grabbed the faded backpack and started to walk towards the front door. As her hand reached for the handle, she heard a small voice.

"Wally."

"What?"

"My name…" he took a deep breath, "Is Wally West."

Once again her feet refused to move and she couldn't help staring into his eyes. They just looked so intense, as if they could bore holes into her own.

"Look, I want you to know that I don't usually reveal who I am. It's the kind of information that could get me killed…but I need for you to know that I trust you, and…well I hope that you'll stay here, even if it's just as friends." He said softly.

Jinx stared at the ground, lines appearing across her forehead. She shuffled her feet, turning towards the door then back around towards Kid Flash.

_No- __Wally_.

She reminded herself.

After a few moments she placed her backpack on the counter and sat down next to him on the couch.

"I want for us to be friends…"

He winced slightly.

"…but maybe after a while…maybe we can just take everything a little slower?" She finished.

At that moment his badge buzzed an alert. For a few seconds they both just stared at it, then Wally pressed a small button and the buzzing stopped. He stood up. "It looks like there a bank robbery on 6th street…" he trailed off.

Just before he took off, Jinx jumped up from the couch.

"Well, I'm going with you. I need to get a hang of this hero stuff sometime…"

He grinned from ear to ear.

In less time than it took to blink, the two had disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4

Kid Flash crept slowly around the corner of the bank, and peered through a crack in the side. A moment later he held up three fingers and motioned for her to follow him behind the back. Crouching down close to each other, he whispered, "There's three robbers, two in the front and one in the back. They're all heavily armed and they've got a group of hostages behind the front desk. I'll distract the first two if you can take out the third guy and protect the hostages until it's safe to get them out."

She nodded and felt the tingle of dark energy crackling at her fingertips.

The past few days she had been just itching for some type of action, feeling the hex energy slowly building up inside her until she felt as if she was going to burst.

When she turned around, Kid Flash was gone.

She stealthily crept through the back door. At the front of the building the two frustrated robbers shot aimlessly at a blur of red and yellow, until finally there was only a clicking noise signaling that they had run out of bullets.

Sneaking up from behind, she knocked out the third criminal with a swift blow to the back of his head, hexing the other two robbers for good measure. She watched as they were enveloped in a flash of purple light, their limp bodies instantly lifted off of the ground and slammed into a marble column.

"C'mon! Quickly!" she yelled at Kid Flash. They both untied the ropes that had been tied around the dozen or so hostages hands and ankles, motioning for the terrified victims to exit through the back door.

"Um I think we have an issue…" She pointed towards a bomb that had been placed behind the counter.

"Okay, I'll try to deactivate it, just get these lumps out of the building…"

He opened a back panel on the steel canister, sorting through a maze of wires as she dragged the unconscious robbers outside, tossing them unceremoniously on top of each other in a pile.

"Do you have it?" She ran over noticing the small beads of sweat on his forehead.

"This bomb is much more complicated than the ones I've seen before- I can't find the wire that attaches to the timer!" He said with a worried glance at the flashing red numbers on the clock.

Jinx bit her lip.

"Stand back." She instructed, then feeling the energy flowing from beneath her eyelids and through her glowing palms directed a beam of light towards the canister. In an instant the clock died and the bomb broke apart.

"Okay, its dead." She said, still trembling slightly.

At that moment she heard the wail of sirens from outside.

"Um Wally? I don't really think the police seeing me here would be a good idea…" she pointed to the flashing lights outside the building and he understood, scooping her up in his arms and sprinting out of the building before anyone could see them.

When they arrived back at the apartment she had to remind herself to calm down and breathe. Her eyes were shining and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.

_What a rush!_

Kid Flash nearly lifted her off of the ground with a giant hug.

"That was incredible! I'm so proud of you!" he gushed.

She smiled at him as they walked into the apartment.

"No wonder there are always superheroes around…I mean is it always that much fun?!"

He just laughed.

"Yeah it is. And you know what? It gets even better. That was just a simple bank robbery- wait until you take on some _real _villains!"

The corners of her lips tilted upwards and she couldn't help but grin.

"Bring it on!"


	5. Chapter 5

_Roses are red _

_The sun is bright_

_And I think that we should meet_

_At the park__ tonight_

_Seven o'clock_

_If that's alrigh__t_

- W.W.

_Roses are Red_

_Violets are blue_

_Your hair is orange_

_Nothing rhymes with orange._

Okay Romeo, seven it is.

- Jinx

_Roses are Red _

_Violets are Blue_

_See __ya__ at seven_

_Jinxy-poo!_

- W.W.

Call me Jinxy-poo one more time and the date is off.

- Jinx

_So…It's officially a date! _

_Love __ya __Jinxy!_

- W.W.

"_Idiot_." Jinx sighed as she twirled the long-stemmed rose he had left with the last note between her fingers. On the nightstand there were two other roses, all three a dark red hue, one from each of the other notes.

She had to admit that staying with Wally was one of the best experiences of her life. They had spent the past two weeks guarding Jump City, and it seemed as if she had been welcomed as a new hero after word of her exploits was leaked to the news. She was surprised to discover that the city had forgiven her so quickly- after all, she was the girl that less than a month beforehand had been responsible for wreaking havoc and causing chaos.

And Wally- well where to start with _that_? He had brought her over to the good side, given her a home, and was constantly charming- it just seemed to come so naturally for him. She thought about the time they had shared, which included an impromptu trip to China for some takeout.

As she filled a vase with water for her miniature bouquet, a grin spread across her face.

_What am I going to wear?_

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I know that it shouldn't make a difference, but they really do motivate me to update more frequently : ) and I am VERY excited about the next chapter…just trying to work out a few details…

Mwah!


	6. Chapter 6

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Kid Flash was sitting on the park bench, tapping his foot impatiently.

Of course at the moment he wasn't Kid Flash.

No, tonight the red and yellow spandex clad speed demon wouldn't be making any appearances. Wearing a corduroy jacket and jeans with a dark blue shirt, Wally West looked just like any other normal teenager in Jump City.

He and Jinx had decided to go with civilian clothes for the night. They hoped that going incognito would help them avoid any run-ins with the media, who were already starting to question their sudden mysterious partnership.

Nervously rubbing the back of his neck, he glanced for the fifteenth time at his watch, and was about to call her cell phone, when suddenly a girl sat down next to him.

Her dark black hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, with little wisps gently framing a pale, heart-shaped face. She dressed simply, wearing a purple long-sleeved shirt, dark jeans, and her signature amethyst choker. She scooted closer to Wally, obviously pleased with his astonished reaction.

"Is-is that a _wig_?" He stammered incredulously.

Jinx blushed.

"No, it's just some temporary dye- should wash out in the morning. Pink hair is kind of a dead give-away though- right?" She whispered, her pink eyes sparkling mischievously.

He quickly regained his composure.

"I like the pink hair too, but if you don't mind me saying, you look absolutely _beautiful_," he said, handing her another crimson rose. "Shall we go?"

He extended his hand, unable to suppress a smile as she noiselessly accepted his offer and he pulled her up.

"So what exactly did you have in mind for tonight?" She asked, silently noting that he was still holding her hand as they walked out of the park.

"That," he said with laugh, "Is for me to know and you to find out."

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They had nearly made a complete circle around the park when Wally, still holding tightly onto Jinx's hand, pulled her towards a deserted alleyway.

Placing her hands on her hips, one eyebrow delicately arched, she peered at the nervous looking redhead.

"Okay, if you think this is going to impress me then you've got- Mppfhh!"

She glared at his hand, which was clamped tightly over her mouth, and stiffened as he pulled them quickly into the shadows.

At that time an elderly couple walked by, carrying bags of groceries and chatting amiably. The woman glanced for a moment at the spot where they had been standing, thinking that she had heard rustling noises.

_Probably just a cat._

As the figures passed, Wally let go of Jinx, and relaxed considerably.

"What. The. Hell. Was. THAT." Jinx hissed, clenching her fists and feeling the energy starting to creep from beneath her eyelids.

Wally looked completely terrified.

"I'm really sorry about that- we just have to be extra careful since we aren't in costume, and well- I can't let anyone see us when I'm about to do this-" he said apologetically, whisking her away before she could get another word in edgewise.

She felt the familiar, slightly nauseous sensation that occurred whenever he used super speed, reminding her of some crazy carousel ride run amok. She had gotten a little more used to the feeling, but it still left her feeling dizzy.

After he had stopped, she took a few seconds to regain her composure and gasped.

They were standing on the edge of a small ridge, and beneath them were fields and fields of _rose_s, stretched out as far as the eye could see.

Both of her hands flew up to cover her mouth as she whispered softly beneath her breath, "Oh my god…"

She took in the sight for another moment, letting the sweet fragrance permeate her senses, watching as the rose bushes rustled with the gentle breeze.

Turning around, she saw a plaid blanket spread out on the ground, and Wally holding a picnic basket, grinning sheepishly.

"So-I'm guessing that you like it?"

Jinx's eyes started to water, she felt as if something was caught in her throat and she struggled to speak.

"No."

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Wally seemed taken aback, a mixture of confusion and disappointment clearly visible across his astonished face.

She took his hand in her own, gently rubbing her thumb across the top of his palm.

"I don't like it- _I love_ it." She finished softly, tilting her chin up with a sparkling smile. He felt a sense of relief, then her warm lips on his own, seeming to mold together perfectly. Soft, simple, sweet- A completely different side of Jinx that no one else ever saw. The side of her that was guarded beneath all those layers of biting sarcasm and threatening glares.

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They both sat down cross legged on the blanket next to one another. She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling the warm weight of his arm as it wrapped around her. The sun had nearly finished setting, leaving the sky at the point between day and night, the last glimmers of rosy sunlight mingling with the cloudy purple edges of evening.

What shocked her the most were the stars.

Once the sun had set, she saw them glimmering and twinkling- the sky had been lit up with a million tiny pinpricks of light. It was nothing like Jump City where you were lucky to spot maybe one or two on a clear night, or the underground caverns of the Hive- completely shut out from even a single patch of open sky.

"Where are we?" She had asked.

"Belmont, Texas- Rose capital of the world." He responded with a twangy, mock-southern accent.

She lightly punched him on the arm.

"So this is where you were getting all of them. All of those roses…"

"More or less..." he grinned.

"I cheated the first time and just got them from a flower shop, but then I asked where they all came from and well…it seemed easier to bring you here, than to bring them all to you…" He laughed.

"Getting a little lazy eh?" She said sarcastically, but without the normal harshness.

"I'm fairly certain that they wouldn't all fit in the apartment, but if you insist…"He rolled up his sleeves and stood up, pretending to start heading towards the field.

She knew he was kidding, but couldn't resist playfully grabbing his arm and pulling him back onto the blanket.

Leaning close to him, she whispered into his ear,

"_Why would I need all those flowers when I've got something even better right here_?"

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Jinx blushed as she remembered the comment- scolding herself a little bit for getting carried away and saying something so cheesy.

_This is an exception- after __all,__ the guy really does have a knack for romance. _

Jinx remembered her surprise upon opening up the picnic basket- discovering a container of chocolate chip pancakes and a big bowl of strawberries- her two favorite foods in the whole world. She couldn't believe he had remembered such a seemingly insignificant detail. It was just so completely perfect- something that only Wally would do.

A month ago she wouldn't have ever even dared to dream that it could be this good.

There was Wally with the charming grin.

Wally with the boundless confidence.

Wally with the jokes that made her laugh,

the old cheesy horror movies that they watched at night,

the strong lean muscles that she secretly thought (but would never, never, ever admit), looked good in that spandex suit.

Wally who always believed in her, even when she didn't believe in herself.

And here she was,

with the Wally that had swept her off her feet, making her spout overly sappy sentences.

_How am I so lucky?_

She contemplated these thoughts, lying down on the blanket with her arms propped up behind her head, staring at the night sky. Wally was a few feet away. His communicator had buzzed, and though he insisted that he would just ignore it, she had seen the worried look on his face and finally grabbed it from his pocket, shoving the damn electronic device into his hands.

She caught snippets of the conversation, seeing him pacing back and forth. Then he returned a few minutes later, grinning from ear to ear.

"I've got one more surprise for you tonight…" he extended a hand to help her stand up.

Jinx cocked her head to the side with a questioning gaze.

"Tonight," he paused, knowing that the suspense was slowly killing her.

"You're going to become a titan."

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_Throws out an inflatable raft_

SORRY! I got a bit carried away and now you're probably drowning amongst all that fluff…oh well. PLEASE REVIEW!!!

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	7. Chapter 7

Jinx dunked her head beneath the showerhead, feeling the steady streams of water and watching as a small river of black liquid pooled near the drain.

She could hear a few noises from outside the bathroom- Kid Flash was already dressed and ready to go. He had preoccupied himself with the task of binding and gagging the two villains that were currently knocked unconscious and lying on the kitchen floor.

They had been waiting in the apartment, a fairly obvious ambush.

According to Wally, it was the same kind of surprise that the rest of the titans had experienced. His communicator now lay in fragmented pieces, still emitting tiny fizzling sparks, by the sink.

Honestly how had the titans been surprised?

The Hive badges were communicators as well, but at least theirs didn't contain tracking devices.

Jinx glanced at her singed fingertips with a sigh. She definitely hadn't been easy on the intruders. In a split second decision the lumbering idiots had somehow concluded that rushing her was the best plan of attack. As a result there was now a large dent in the living room wall. _Hopefully the titans have some type of insurance…_

Washing the last traces of dye from her hair, she quickly started to dry the pink shiny mass with a towel.

"C'mon Jinx- we need to go help save the world!" Kid Flash shouted impatiently.

She sighed, grabbing two thick black ribbons and some gel, deftly shaping her hair into two horn-shaped pigtails.

When she opened the door Kid Flash was already waiting on the other side.

"Ready?"

"Yep."

"Okay then, let's head out!"

She could tell that he was practically twitching with excitement as he swept her up in his arms.

When they finally stopped, the air was chilly and shrouded in a thick white fog.

They were in Paris, on the outskirts of the city and away from the glimmering tourist district. The Eifel tower glittered in the distance, barely visible from their location.

Almost no one would have ever suspected that the old warehouse, replete with rusty steel beams and crumbling brick walls, was actually the headquarters for an evil organization.


End file.
